Let the Puppets dance!
by Pearl22
Summary: When two people are in denial, it sometimes takes a good friend to sort their issues out. If mind-control is thrown in the mix, however, things might get slightly out of hand. There are different kinds of 'help' after all, aren't there?. Oneshot.


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Let the puppets dance!

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**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, but my life. Oh and the plot for this story. Everything else? I wish.**

_A/N: Hello everyone :)! Dang, I hadn't had any time at all lately for any internet business or writing. However, it made me feel bad to stay away from fan fiction that long, so I decided to use the little time I did have for finishing this one-shot I found lurking on my disk. Just a little piece of entertainment, or so I hope ^^._

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Jimmy had made a lot of inventions in his life.

This was an indisputable fact.

There were the dangerous ones, the amusing ones, the brilliant ones, the pointless ones and the ones that blew up half of the town twice a week. (He seemed to have a knack for latter ones)

You named it, he created it. He was boundless in that respect. Naturally, his abilities were rightfully considered astounding, and since his lab was filled with everything one could imagine (even beyond that!) it was easy to tell that he was an inventor of the _finest_ kind. Truly gifted. His friends could not even catch up with counting the amount of his inventions anymore! A genius' life was busy, after all. Nonetheless, he bravely suffered through every 'complication' with ever so strong pride and wit, mind you!

(Of course, on top of all that he was _applaudably_ modest too.)

But _this_ device he held in his very hands…this certain one was _special_.

The genius patted his canine's head and smiled triumphantly at the result of another sleepless night. Admittedly, it was not a Nobel Prize invention. Merely spectacular compared to some of his other goodies. And as he thought about, it was not even a new idea.

But who said a reprise equaled trumpery?

He took the shiny gadget in his hands and lightheartedly played with it, drumming his fingers on its top. At his back, lights glimmered on Vox' screen, goo and colored chemicals bubbled, peeping noises rang from the working computers. Any other teenager of sixteen years was probably already proud, when they got their own _sleeping_ room 'personalized'. A Jimmy Neutron did not even _notice_ the uniqueness of his _lab_ anymore! This was his home, his true sanctuary. The place he got distance from the busy world outside and could focus on the true love of his life: Science.

Oh, it was a sweet life.

A faint, yet malicious grin crept up his face as he continued eying his newest 'best invention of all times'. Oh yes, it would be science to gain him the _ultimate_ success! He could not wait anymore to test his invention …now that it was finished.

"We'll see how she'll like **that** one, won't we Goddard?!" the genius grinned and held the gadget higher as to show it to his loyal pet. Caught up in his 'triumph', he did not even notice the mildly annoyed snickering sound he got as reply.

"That's the opportunity I've been waiting for much too long! Time to pay, Miss _Vortex_!" He looked eagerly around to get some cheers, like a first year schoolboy who managed to write down the entire alphabet by heart.

But sadly a pet did not always do as its master wished. And so Jimmy got, instead of the enthusiastic applause he had aimed at, only a really slack reply, typed on a green screen.

"**You sure have got to sort out some of your issues one day."**

(Straight to the point, that robot.)

Outraged by those infamous words, this absolutely disappointing and undeserved statement, Jimmy scowled at his dog and made sure to put a lot of disapproval into his very gaze. Education by experience. A robot dog had to respect its owner.

"What is that supposed to mean, Goddard?"he inquired pointedly and expectantly raised an eyebrow.

(It was hard to be in charge of everything, yet unappreciated. All this disrespect he had to put up with!)

Outraging, indeed.

A fit of giggling sounds rang from the mechanical inside of the dog.

"**Do I even have to tell?"** he asked and barked cheerily.

Oh this cursed dog!

Jimmy kept glaring at his naughty canine, which made the poor pet realize it had to be painfully blunt with its clueless master. However, instead of another verbal statement, Goddard just popped his screen out again and played several scenes of their daily life in a random, speed- up order.

"**Today she's going down!!!!.....Revenge is mine, Goddard….we'll see about that, ha!....Gotta find a way to pay her back...The last laugh is still mine!" **the sound of the clips echoed through the lab. (accompanied with rather unflattering and admittedly quite humiliating pictures of the genius himself)

Jimmy, who, however, surprisingly did not seem half as amused by this show as his faithful dog, hissed:

"You've got a reason to waste my time like that?!"

The canine 'groaned' with its dog-sounds and shook its metallic head.

A hopeless case of the worst sort, this boy was. Humans!

What was a robot dog to do?

Back to verbal speech it seemed. The glowing typing appeared once more.

"**You're a teenage boy, right?"**

Jimmy, clearly not aware of where this was heading, nodded simply. Maybe Goddard had a system fault? He should have known to come up with an upgrade sooner; you never knew what happened in the mind of retarding software…

"**Who'd you say bugs you the most?"**

What kind of question was that? The genius scoffed.

"Vortex, of course! That—" his following words should never be heard.

"**You'd say you make a lot of inventions to pay her back/show off to impress her?"**

Jimmy, ticked off by the way he was obviously interrogated, shrugged harshly and replied:

"Sure…so she keeps her mouth shut!"

(If only. Wishful thinking.)

"**So which girl do you think of most time of the day?"**

"Well, Cindy, I suppose, you know making revenge plans, dialing the MTSO for finally making them see that she **is** a threat to the whole country, finding every single fault in her presentations in class and…."

"**And you're a teenage boy. Do I need to say more?"**

The boy just stared confused at his pet and scratched his neck. What in the world was Goddard trying to tell him? Was he trying to tell him something at all? Sometimes the dog was harder to figure out than any human.

"Just what is it with you, boy?" he asked and stared clueless at his oldest friend.

The canine certainly would have rolled its eyes, if only it could. But sadly, the strongest way left for Goddard to emphasize his frustration was to turn demonstratively away and send one last message.

"**I've got better things to do! "**

It was not his job to babysit the boy, right?!

He trotted over to his sleeping place and 'smiled' at a photo that lay on his pillow. It showed a certain intergalactic dog lady…the proof of a very creepy but sweet past romance of his.

Jimmy blinked bewildered at Goddard's rough reaction. As his dog however did not seem to explain its point any time soon, he tensed his shoulders and cried sullenly after him:

"Ya well…I've got better things to do, too! Like planning out my ultimate revenge and stuff, you know the drill!!!" He scoffed again and turned his attention back to his newest invention, muttering under his breath.

Indeed, it was quite upsetting…all these wicked thinking species. What a waste of energy at times!

But just as he was back to musing about a plan to get his brilliancy with the highest potential of success in action, two well-known faces appeared on Vox' screen, replacing the formerly displayed calculations the computer had been working on.

Speaking about 'thinking' species…

Jimmy grimaced and laid his invention gently back on the table with a small sigh of regret. Yet, he did not put it out of reach, since he was eager to share his triumph with his best pals, if they already had to disturb him.

As could have been expected, a loud, screechy voice rang through the loudspeaker just a moment later.

"Hey Jimmy!!! Let us in! Let us in! We have the biggest, scariest, most shocking news _**ever**_!!!" Sheen yelled and waved excitedly with his arms. At his side a grossed out Carl cleaned his pale nose with a neat tissue, humming a 'calming' melody. Some things just never changed.

The genius laughed softly and rolled his eyes.

"Don't tell me he found out Ultralord isn't real…." He muttered under his breath and snorted.

However, that hypothesis was just ridiculous. IF this would have been the case, Retroville TV would have already given out the warning not to leave the house all day. No, for the entire week…or perhaps…

Amazed, he heard violent poundings against his lab door just a second later, disturbing rudely his thoughts. Quickly, he ran through his lab and opened the huge steel doors with a button push.

"JIMMY!!!!!" Sheen's loud voice immediately welcomed him. The boy jumped back and gasped, looking wide-eyed at his friend.

"But how did ya…why did ya…" An eye began to twitch, a finger was helplessly raised.

"NOBODY SHALL QUESTION ULTRALORD!!!!!!"

Poor Jimmy just panted in shock:

"How the hell….did you…? I mean where'd ya come….I mean……" he stopped, simply staring at the Mexican boy, who dangerously narrowed his eyes and raised his voice solemnly:

"I'll be there whenever my hero's honor is in question, _**clueless**_ mortal!!!" With a harsh nod, he folded his arms and continued glaring at the poor, confused Jimmy.

"But…my security system and…Vox...and the…and…" The genius paused and pondered the situation.

_This was Sheen Estevez standing in front of him. _

"You know what?" he finally spoke up again, clearly enlightened. "I don't even want to know."

Sheen just scoffed pointedly… in silent agree.

* * *

"Okay Jim….how's that thingy working again?" Carl whispered to his best friend beside him.

The three 'amigops' were lurking outside the Candy Bar behind a letter box, eager to set Jimmy's little scheme in action. Completely oblivious to their surroundings, they naturally did not notice the weird glances they received from all sides…convinced their hiding place was perfect.

Jimmy, who got tired of explaining the same thing over and over again to a guy who was not able to remember which of TWO doors hid the cheese after the SEVENTIETH time, rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to give his useless quest another try, when Sheen's voice interrupted him.

"DUDES CHECK THIS OUT!!!" said one screamed, increasing the amount of awkwardly staring people. With a quick movement, the boy pulled a letter out of the letter box, which's one corner had been still hanging outside, as though the sender had been in a hurry putting it into the letter box. With a huge grin on his face, Sheen began to read the letter:

"'_Hey, Easter bunny dude…_

_Look, it's me, Nick. As in Nick Dean. Yes, __**the**__ Nick Dean. _

_Anyways, you think we can get a deal, man? I heard that you can hide everything. So please, dude, let all those hydrants disappear, please? I mean…it's like they're everywhere and you know, the chicks don't like it when a hot guy like myself always crashes into one of them…not to speak of the emotional pain I sorta go through every time again…so what do you say? I promise, Easter bunny, I'll never…"_Sheen cut off, choking down a loud giggle.

Carl and Jimmy looked awkwardly at each other, trying to process what they had just heard. From the scientific point, it was quite simple… (Or so Jimmy assumed)

Nick Dean had written a letter.

_Interesting_.

For one moment everything was silent. All lips were pressed shut. Hands were curled into fists, the knuckles almost turning white. Almost desperate, the three boys tried to keep composure.

"Ya well…" Carl eventually began breaking the silence, loosing resistance against the urge to burst into laughter.

"It is very, very rude to read _personal_ letters, Sheen…" Jimmy continued, however, he also felt the corners of his mouth turn up. Nonetheless…

_Very_, rude indeed. Shame on his friend.

Sheen nodded in agreement, realizing he had been _disrespectful_.

"True…I feel very bad now, dudes." He actually managed to look some kind of guilty.

They hung in solemn silence for another few minutes, each not saying a word. All that to apologize for having disrespected Nick's privacy, of course. But as they looked again at each other, their blank stares slowly vanished and made way for huge grins.

Carl bit his lip hard. Sheen's eyes nearly bulged out. Jimmy's hands had no feeling anymore.

"OH HOLY---!"

It had not helped, obviously.

Only seconds later they were laughing their heads off as though there was no tomorrow, faces bright red and gasping for oxygen.

"I soooo….hahahaha…..am gonna keep that!!!" Sheen laughed and put the letter in his jacket.

Comradely, Carl hung one arm over Sheen's shoulders and gasped:

"But…Sheen…hahahaha….you can't….!!!"

"YEAH….be glad Nick's got somebody to share all his worries of heart with!!!" Jimmy chimed in and made a melodramatic pose.

Shaking with their laughter, the boys leaned against the letter box. After a few…ten…fifteen minutes of loud laughter, Carl eventually wiped his eyes and asked, still lightly chuckling:

"So what are we here for again?"

Jimmy blinked in realization and took his new gadget into his hands again. Its smooth surface reflected the bright light of winter and casted a faint glow on his face. How could he have forgotten his little baby?! Oh blame that pathetic Nick fellow…

Reminded of his 'quest', he felt the excitement start to rise in him again.

Oh how he was waiting for it to get started!

"Oh yeah right…the plan! Well…." He started, thinking of the scientific explanation, when he reminded himself who he was talking to…

'Perhaps…just perhaps….I have to simplify things a bit…" he mused as he looked at his friends. As if on cue, he saw that Sheen was currently stuck with his tongue against the icy letter box. Jimmy did not even want to know, why he had tried to lick it in the first place.

'Or simplify a LOT…'

"Okay, listen up guys!" he demanded and held up his gadget in sight. "This brilliant device allows you to control other people's actions and speech as you wish – it's practically complete and _total_ control." Jimmy smiled triumphantly at them, awaiting the cheers. Short and to the point. His social skills were getting better, were they not?

But he waited in vain. Carl and Sheen exchanged quickly a few glances; the latter's disadvantageous position only increasing the awkward effect. Finally, Carl exclaimed unmotivated but with a faked smile:

"Wow…that's something… I guess…"

Jimmy raised one eyebrow. What was it with people today? Perhaps he had to rethink his social skills…once more.

With a loud smack, Sheen freed his tongue from the frozen letterbox and rubbed his mouth. The words were coming out quite awry as he spoke:

"Uh…dude…I don't wanna insult your brilliant genius thingy but…" he chuckled uneasily. "Isn't this kinda the same as your hypno-ray?"

Carl nodded slightly. He glanced nervously around. Both, him and Sheen knew just too well (sadly by own experience) how Jimmy could get when one of his inventions was not **the** win of the universe…he would never admit it, but Carl thought that Jimmy perhaps needed to improve his…abilities of dealing with people.

"Yeah...I sorta…think so too…"he nonetheless managed to mumble. He had promised for New-year to be much braver after all. And since it was already February again, (and the promise had been made for **last** year's New Year) he better got started with the fulfilling of that promise.

Jimmy shook immediately his head and objected forcefully:

"No, no you guys don't understand! This is way different from the hypno-ray! First of all, the use is much simpler. You just point at a person (or several ones), one time and the gadget has their identity saved. Then, you only need to think your comment, and it will be obeyed! "

Carl made wide eyes.

"Wow…the thingy knows what I'm thinking?" Forget the bravery, this was magic! Jimmy was a wizard! Who would have thought? The pudgy boy's eyes suddenly sparkled.

The genius on the other hand, cringed slightly at this brutal simplification, but nodded. He had to keep things to a low, but understandable level if he wanted them to comprehend. (At least his database had taught him that when he had made research on social skills)

"Uh…close. Anyways, the real difference is that the person will perceive everything! They will be able to talk and think on their own, but must obey the incoming comments immediately."

Sheen frowned confused:

"And this is good because…?" he made a wide gesture with his hands, as though directing the words out of his friend's mouth.

Jimmy smirked evilly at his two best friends.

"Can you picture Cindy's face when she's going to _voluntarily_ admit in front of everyone I beat her at **everything** by a long shot ?!"

The two boys gasped in wonder, staring with opened mouths at the genius.

"Ooooohhh….." Carl spoke meaningfully and giggled like a cheerleader. Someone was getting rid of their heads today, he just knew it!

Sheen, whose left eye was twitching (but excitedly sparkling all the same) stepped slowly forward and patted Jimmy heartedly on the shoulders.

"Dude…after **this** humiliation she's gonna eat you alive!" he said cheerfully. Maybe he should have brought his camera…

Jimmy just kept on smiling.

"She won't dare to ever show herself in public again once I'm through with the plan, believe me…"

He broke into creepy laughter and turned around…walking with the aura of a mad scientist.

(Which by _**no**_ means he was, of course…)

Carl and Sheen, both of them slightly getting the creeps, shrugged it off at the thought of a glorious drama and followed him as the genius made his triumph march. Being the clueless sidekicks for almost seven years now, they had learned not to question Jimmy's plans. A bit almost-world-destroying was a great hobby after all.

However, Carl could not help but whisper to Sheen:

"You'd think they'd slowly grow up, wouldn't you?" he let out a small, suppressed chuckle.

The other boy just shrugged.

"Hey Carl, these are _Jimmy_ and _Cindy_…those two are more oblivious than Miss Fowl was to Ultralord's existence."

Carl pondered his friend's 'wise' words and nodded.

"Yep…that's about right."

* * *

The sky was grey, like every other February noon.

Drinking her favorite flavored milkshake, Cindy Vortex stared lost in thought out of a Candy Bar's window. Beside her Libby was sitting, however said one was quite oblivious to her surroundings. It was their normal girls' afternoon, like they had one every week. Everyone needed a good break from the chaos (ALWAYS) caused by the guys. Much to Cindy's annoyance, her best friend was too busy dealing with her mobile as to converse, though. By now, Libby's habit to weekly cause a big drama while she chose a new ringtone that 'fit her personality' was really getting on her nerves. After all what was a girl supposed to do without having a source of the newest gossip?

The blonde watched all the people outside on the streets and sighed. She could as well recap all recent events…since she obviously was not going to get any good gossip stuff from Libby any time soon. Her day had been quite good actually… school had been exceedingly easy; she was wearing her favorite clothes, hanging out with Libby, her best friend…no problems or intergalactic issues approaching as for this day…

She rested her head on her left hand and stirred the spoon in her milkshake, doodling in her own little world.

Yeah, it was a nice day…okay, admittedly; she had not seen Neutron after school yet…

She quickly sat straight up, one eye twitching.

-BUT THAT MADE THE DAY EVEN BETTER, RIGHT???

Nervously, she tapped the tip of her spoon on the desk, trying to get rid of those nasty thoughts forming in her head.

Libby, as always possessing an admirable perception, looked up from her mobile's display and raised one eyebrow at her friend's strange behavior. The tapping was ticking her off a little bit.

"You're okay, girl?" she suspiciously asked and put her mobile aside. As it seemed, her holy quest had to wait a bit…and there had been so _great_ ringtones…the girl almost sighed in regret.

Startled by the interruption, Cindy shrieked and threw her hands in the air…the milkshake covered spoon falling on her head and ruining parts of her hairdo. Quickly, she ruffled through her blonde strands and replied, somewhat absent:

"Yeah…uh yes, I ahem…"

Libby generously gave Cindy a tissue and leaned forward, sensing that _something_ was up.

"Okay, Cind, spill!"She simply demanded.

The blonde seemed to need some seconds as to notice her friend was talking. Nervously chuckling, she muttered:

"What should I spill? It was a…accident…I was just thinking of how nice…" she seemed distracted for a second, but immediately continued a bit quieter: "…the day is."

Libby, catching on how her friend suddenly seemed desperate to fix her hair much quicker, followed Cindy's gaze to the front door and smirked darkly.

"Then I guess the day just got _nicer, _uh_?_" She ironically said and watched none other than Jimmy, companied with Carl and Sheen, entering the Candy Bar.

They should have gone elsewhere.

Sweet disaster, Folfax.

Her pitiable friend in 'distress', who was busy with quickly rubbing the milkshake out of her damp hair, actually managed to gather up enough obliviousness as to scowl at Libby's all-seeing self… as though she had no clue at all.

Which, sadly, she really did not seem to have.

"What in the world is that supposed to mean?!" The girl actually had the nerves to feign offense. Libby sighed. Fine, they were at _that_ game again.

Hooray.

Heaven only knew how much more of this ridiculousness she still had to put up with. How long was this going on already? She rather did not know. It was just so _painfully_ obvious! She bet her entire CD collection, that even Bolbi between all his slap clap dances and weird antics had already figured out, what the two supposedly smartest persons in town still after years and years where too thick to see!

"_Mercy!"_

She really did not know how much longer she could watch this farce.

* * *

Inside there was a battle.

Carl knew he should have seen it coming. He should have known this invention would cause nothing but chaos ._ (Didn't it always?)_ He should have known Jimmy and Cindy would restlessly overdo their little pseudo-feud (_note the 'pseudo')_. And he should have known that things would get out of hand.

He had known it all, he realized as he climbed out of the garbage ton Cindy had 'transported' him in…(as not to say KICKED)! Rubbing his hurting scapula, he slapped himself mentally for not having stopped his friend's madness.

But seriously who would have expected this prank to turn into a show like this?

Shaking his head, he pulled out the shivering, rubbish covered Sheen out of the ton. His friend had a banana peel hanging all over his head, but he seemed too scared as to do anything about it.

Who would blame him?

From the inside of the Candy Bar, Carl heard their loud voices bitterly battling. There were other voices…and sounds of a 'war'. He should have known.

He was not even surprised Cindy had guessed Jimmy's intention the moment his friend had pulled out his genius invention. Because with all respects… did it startle anyone that the guy could not help but burst out with the gadget's purpose as he just could not refrain from bragging? Who had not foreseen it as Cindy immediately reacted and kicked the invention off his hands?

Was there someone, ANYONE who had not expected the fight that started right then about getting the gadget?

And in all honesty, Cindy had not had any reason to dump him and Sheen in the next garbage can she found. After all it HAD been freaking funny watching her and Jimmy grabbing the gadget at two sides and bickering about it like two kindergarten children! Surprisingly, she had not been amused…at ALL.

Yes Carl could have seen it coming. And he should have convinced his friend otherwise.

Because, then, perhaps…

A slender girl approached them, coming from the distance with light and rhythmic steps. She sent the shivering Sheen a small, pitiful smile, but there was too much excitement hidden in her dark brown eyes that sparkled in genuine amusement as for the compassionate face to stay long, when she held up a shiny little object. In fake awe she let its reflection shine on their faces and leaned conspiratorially in.

"Why don't _**we**_ let the puppets dance for once, guys?" she offered smugly.

And the grin came back to Carl's pudgy face. Was she really going to…? He looked back at the gadget in her hands and it hit him. _Finally_. It took only a simple nod and the affair was decided.

What a sweet day to come.

Perhaps keeping the mouth shut had not been such a bad idea after all.

* * *

Jimmy immediately sensed that something was wrong with him. One moment he had been screaming at this…this OBNOXIOUS person, the next…

…his feet carried him out the Candy Bar, without taking any notice of his loud cries of protest. The door swung widely open, he staggered forwards… Wide-eyed he tried to stop walking, but realized he was not _able_ to. The people in the Candy Bar just stared after him as he abruptly left without any warning. They had never seen Jimmy cut off a really heated argument with Cindy like this…what had happened? They had no clue. But as they were citizen of Retroville, they quickly forgot about the situation and went back to mind their own business. The simple-mindedness of those people was really refreshing.

Cindy, on the other hand, who was not sure whether he had just ditched her (oh he better **not**) or given up (making her the winner of today's bicker!) blinked confused at the door.

"Well then…" she called after him. "If that's how you want to end this, then go on, ruuuuuun—"

She did not get any further. Shocked, she watched herself following Jimmy's path...as if driven by some unknown force.

Not a nice feeling.

"HEY!!!!" she called outraged out and waved wildly with her hands, as if there was anyone who could help her. "I don't care what kind of joke that is, stop it!!!"

A few people laughed. Which, as it turned out, had not been a smart move.

(Hours later, when they sat whining at home, they would ask themselves how this crazy blonde girl had managed to get dragged away by herself and still give them a black eye all the same.)

Cindy herself would have _loved_ to know.

But she just kept marching forward.

A few minutes, several bruises on the teens' side who had randomly crossed her way as she staggered by, a lot of kicked out of the way squirrels and a busload of choice swear words later, her feet finally had the great generosity of stopping this involuntary walk through the city.

Confused, mad and very red-faced, Cindy observed her surroundings. If there was anything she _hated,_ it was to be messed so _obviously_ with; but sadly, there was no time to let her anger get the best out of her, for who other than the usual suspect did she see standing there only a few meters away from her ,in the middle of the park of Retroville?

Teeth gnashed loudly.

_**Neutron**__._

What wicked plan of his was this again? After the scene at the Candy Bar a few moments ago?

She scoffed contemptuously.

The guy better ran home and locked himself up behind seven steel doors, if he knew what was the healthiest for him!

However, as she had just prepared herself for a powerful, biting, destructive, admittedly slightly violent but (of course) doubtlessly witty (!) speech to throw at him, blasting him away with her verbal abilities-

-it occurred to her, that the look on Neutron's face was anything but smug, triumphantly…or…well smart.

He looked utterly upset.

And that was all.

Cindy frowned bewildered as she stood still on her spot. Slight (and justified) confusion entered her mind immediately.

Why in the world was _he_ fed up?

He could not be faking that expression that was for sure. There were a lot of things you could say about Jimmy Neutron (and she abused that fact her heart's content as often as she could) , but if there was one thing that was indisputable, though, it was the fact that he was the worst actor this world had ever had the misfortune to see.

No way was he out of all people able to actually hide any of his 'plans' (which were pathetic , uncreative and absolutely lacking the mischievous brilliancy of hers, by the way) by fooling her like this… she knew he would be looking as though he was puking if he really tried to.

It was not as though she knew him and his facial expressions particularly well, though, of course.

Oh heck _no_.

"Hey Nerdtron!" she finally called out, not bothering to sound anything remotely polite.

(Hey, she was Cindy Vortex…she did not _do_ polite. At least not with …_people_ like that one.)

Jimmy spun around at her ever so 'friendly' greeting and grimaced unhappily as his eyes caught sight of her. Immediately, that infamous red light in Cindy's head began to flash again (as it did _perhaps_ a tad too often). Just because they were _mortal_, _immemorial_ and _ever so loathing_ rivals forever and always that certainly did not mean he had to cringe as though she was a monster when he saw her, did it?! That manner- lacking, little…

"Go away!" he hissed at her and waved dismissively with his hands.

A dangerous frown formed on her face. That was _something, _indeed. As it turned out, the 'certified' genius seemed too thick to realize the simplest law of nature.

Cindy Vortex was not to be treated like an unwanted cur.

She simply was _not_.

"What the heck, Spewtron?!" spat the girl, putting her hands on her hips, and glaring at him."Y—"

"Cut it out, will you Vortex?!"

Yep, he was positively willing to die.

For some reason she did _not_ know (thanks a lot!) he kept his voice very low, almost as though he was being persecuted. Despite her irritation, Cindy could not help but roll all- knowingly her eyes…who knew if his paranoia had kicked in again!

She remembered vividly the day when they had been eleven and he had run into her. Out of the blue, he had started to fret about happy zombies being after him- which would have been enough to get him locked up in the nuthouse for a long, long time…

(Happy zombies?! Come ON!)

… Admittedly, it had turned out that they indeed _had_ been, but that was beside the point. The real point namely was-

"I have no idea what they're up to, but it won't be nice, I can tell!" Jimmy interrupted her thoughts. He glanced nervously at all sides, awkwardly standing on his spot.

(_Paranoid_!)

She snorted and scowled at her dearest (note the sarcasm) nemesis. God, how she despised him! Just the way he stood there and talked to her and...she rolled her eyes again and grimaced disgustedly. He, of course, wore his most serious the-world-has-a-problem face which was probably the lamest sight on earth. Seriously, that guy was driving her nuts!

…In a negative sense of course.

(In the one and only negative sense there was. The one that was so negative, there was nothing positive at all anymore and…)

Uhm. Yes. Something like that.

"So, who is it? Some kind of mad professor?" Cindy asked casually, banning all interest from her voice. She could not _wait_ to see who _he_ had upset so much again that it had to ruin _her_ day as well. It were times like these, when she felt like crying out as loud as she could: Stupid 'genius', stupid Retroville, stupid squirrels that seemed to pop out of nowhere all the time, stupid…

"No, worse." Jimmy replied shortly, his expression turning worried.

Great going, she told herself with an inward sigh. Her head had not even begun to stop aching from the battle they had just had in the Candy Bar, whereas he in all his 'ingenuity' had just _had_ to run into someone bad and mighty to tick off already!

Cursing her bad luck, she waited for him to elaborate the expressive words: 'No, worse.'

A whole minute long.

Disbelieving.

Confused.

And exasperated beyond imaginable.

While she stood there, she watched him whistle quietly, twiddle his thumbs, count awkwardly the squirrels on a nearby branch, tap his foot on the ground and do everything but something helpful. In purest, most unnerving and totally oblivious silence.

Her left eye began to twitch. Nobody could be that obtuse, could they?

Maybe it was time to show some good will, she told herself, trying to contain her impatience. Maybe dorks needed longer to get to the point. (She would not know, would she?)Maybe he would get enlightened eventually. Maybe Sheen would grow up and stop worshipping a purple doll. Maybe.

But as he started to list voicelessly prime numbers with four digits, she knew she had to draw the line!

Obviously the boy had no social competences. Not even the slightest.

Why, what a _shock_.

"Then…some freaky alien?" she offered impatiently, twirling absently a strand of her hair as to distract herself from her frustration. However, with a sigh she saw him wordlessly shaking his head.

Was it _so_ hard to tell her why she had been involuntarily dragged to this place? Perhaps the most reasonable thing to do at that moment was to storm off right there and then… but then again she wanted to know who had messed with her so shamefully. (And the reason she had had to give half of Retroville's population a black eye on her way there). That was all she asked for, but as it seemed even that tiny bit was too hard to get out of him.

Finally, though, Jimmy deigned an answer at least.

"No, no, much worse."

She snorted. How very significant!

Another try was needed as it seemed.

"A monster?"

(Well, with Jimmy Neutron you never knew)

The boy rolled his eyes and tapped impatiently with his left foot on the ground.

"Monsters do not exist, Vortex. It's nothing but a term for fictional creatures with traits, that…"

"Geez, Nerdtron spare me! Do I look like I'm dying to hear one of your famously lame speeches?"

He groaned as response, kicking a few pebbles with the tip of his feet. Silence developed between them again, since Jimmy seemed to pout. Apparently he had chosen (again) to ignore her words instead of retorting. Way to be childish!

Cindy demonstratively folded her arms and deepened her glare, ticked off by his behavior. What right did HE have to groan?

Because she was not in the mood for his geeky talk?

Oh, please. Someone needed to grow up!

The genius met her distasteful gaze and capitulated…reluctantly.

"Excuse _me_, Miss Vortex. I'll talk slow for you: _**no**_, it's not a _monster_." She could practically hear the contempt in his voice.

_Jerk._

"Okay…what is it then? Yetis? The monster of Loch Ness? Robots? Dracula? Ninjas? PANDA BEARS?" Frustrated, she threw her hands up in the air.

What the heck was he talking about?

"Nope, much, _much_ worse…" The volume of his voice rose. "So bad in fact-"

He did not get any further. Because just in that moment they both heard a loud voice screeching from behind their backs. Startled, the two spun around and tried to make out the cause of the noise.

They did not have to wait long for finding it out…

…unfortunately that was.

"RAISE THE ROOF AND DANCE LIKE CHICKENS! THE MASTER IS IN THE HOOOOUUSE! GLORY, GLORY, ULTRA GLORY!!!"

Cindy's face fell immediately. Jimmy cringed , shaking resigned his head.

Both of them swore that every single squirrel on the nearby branch had dropped its acorn.

"So that's what's worse than Yetis, Robots and mad scientists…" Cindy concluded weakly and gave Jimmy a baleful look.

"…Our friends."

He gulped in response.

* * *

"Alright, Ladies…" Sheen folded his arms behind his back and threw a doubtful gaze at Cindy. "…and Gentlemen…"

"What-"

"We're assembled here today, for one simple reason. A simple, teeny weeny reason. It is…" He sharply spun around and pointed with his index finger directly into Jimmy's face, who, in return, backed a few steps away.

"…simple."

The Mexican boy smirked haughtily and continued to walk up and down in front of them, like an officer in front of his troop.

"Now you might wonder WHAT exactly this simple reason is…"

"Could you get it over with anytime soon, Ultra Loser?!" Cindy snapped and flicked exasperatedly her ponytail over her left shoulder.

Immediately, Sheen stepped in front of her and sent her a nasty glare.

"Don't ruin the dramatic effect, will you?!" he whined, looking sullenly over his shoulder back at Libby.

"Why do we do this again?!" he asked loudly and pointed accusingly at Cindy, ignoring the bewildered glances of the two teens in question. "She's sooo mean!"

The blonde slapped his arm away and hissed:

"You bet! Now stop this theatre and tell us what's going on!"

"CAAARL!" Sheen cried and looked around, searching for some support. "Abusive blonde ahead! I need backup! Quick!"

Confused, he had to find that his friend was nowhere to be found. The even more worrisome thing however, was the fact that Cindy's face had noticeably darkened. With all his force, he therefore cried again:

"CARL!!! EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY alpha beta gamma delta epsilon zeta!"

Suddenly, the pudgy boy popped out of nowhere at his side, red faced, a squirrel sitting in his hair and with eyes widened in horror.

"Emergency alpha beta gamma delta epsilon zeta?" he echoed, his voice full of disbelief.

Jimmy decided that this was a good time to join the conversation. With his right eyebrow raised, he asked them slowly:

"Emergency…_alpha_ _beta gamma delta epsilon zeta_?"

Sheen nodded jollily.

"Yeah, you know one day we've been playing in your lab…", he ignored the horrified outcry from Jimmy, "…and then we decided we'd need some really cool names for emergency situations…"

Now Carl piped up.

"Ya, but we kinda forgot the cool names every time again, so we asked Goddard for help…"

"…and he told us to add more words to 'emergency' the more threatening the situation is. That way, we certainly can't forget anything." Sheen finished, satisfied with their clever solution.

Jimmy just stared bewildered at them.

"You guys know AND remember the Greek alphabet?!"

That he would not have thought to be possible. Perhaps, he had underestimated them more than they deserved? After all, they were not clueless little eleven year olds anymore either…well he had thought them to be clueless sixteen year olds, but perhaps…perhaps he had to rethink that hypothesis.

Well, of course…puberty had been bound to change something! Why had he not seen that before? All his studies and data about them – useless! Another point of view was required, another, totally different set of experiments! Oh, if he just thought of all the future efforts, his head began to ache!

But just as his thoughts were taking some really ridiculous turns, Sheen's confused mien and even more confused words saved his sanity.

"Greek? Dude, who's talking about Greek? We just add those funny words, Goddard taught us." He scowled again at Cindy, who watched the conversation with a mix of amusement, exasperation and impatience. "But till now, we never had to resort to 'zeta' before!"

Cindy raised her fist at him.

"Wanna add an eta, theta and iota to that?!" she threatened, causing Sheen to jump behind Carl, in search for protection from her wrath.

"She decoded our system, dude!" he nonetheless cried out, heavily panicking. Carl nervously fiddled his glasses and glanced at Libby. Silently, he begged for her help…as he was not able to handle the situation on his own.

Sighing, she stepped between the guys and their 'intimidator'. Not even five minutes had passed since she and the two amigops had arrived and yet they had already managed to cause a scene! She played lightheartedly with the gadget in her pocket and smirked. There was only one thing she wanted to get accomplished right now and nothing was going to distract her from that.

"Alright guys, that's enough. We're not here to hear about all the ridiculous things Goddard taught you." She stated and rolled her eyes – on principle.

"But you have to admit, that one time when he showed us how to drink an entire ice cold Purple Flurp without getting a brain freeze had been pretty neat!" Sheen objected, receiving a supporting nod from Carl and a very puzzled reply from Jimmy.

"Seriously guys, how much time do you spend with my dog? It's starting to scare me…"

"With those two, I reckon you're better off if you don't know, Nerdtron…" Cindy smirked lazily and folded her arms…for the lack of any better activity.

Seeing, how everyone prepared for a retort again, Libby groaned loudly. Yet, she went by unnoticed much to her dismay.

What had she done to end up with dorks like that?

"Hey, who asked you emergency alpha beta gamma zeta…no delta epsilon …er…uh…?!"

"ENOUGH!" Libby cried at the tops of her lungs, finally getting the attention of everyone. "YOU TWO!" she shouted and pointed sternly at Sheen and Carl. "You come here!"

Obedient like two puppies, the two boys trotted at her side, glancing fearfully up at her.

"And YOU two!" Libby turned to Cindy and Jimmy again. "You look at THIS!"

Curiously, the two leaned forward. Confusion was written all over their faces.

Sheen threw a questioning glance at Carl. He had expected horror, shock or even gasps of terror when Libby showed them the gadget.

Not just plain confusion.

But then, he saw the thing Libby really was showing them.

Her left sleeve.

Covered with milkshake, ice cream and other unidentifiable stuff.

That was all.

"Do you see that?" Libby inquired tensely. And when she got no reply, a tad louder: "Do you SEE that?!"

"Uh…your…sleeve? Libby…?" Cindy probed and shrugged bemusedly.

"No, this…" the dark haired girl pointed again at her sweatshirt. "Was one of my favorite pieces. But ever since your infamous encounter a few minutes ago at the Candy Bar it ain't so pretty anymore, is it?!" She glared deeply at the two rivals, trying to make them understand which crime they had committed.

Jimmy smiled uncertain. "Uh…Sorry, Libby…I guess…"

She just scoffed at him. "Sure yeah, I'm sorry too. For having been near you two. But that ain't the point now anyways. That was so the last straw. I am at the end of my rope and the two guys here are as well. Heck, all Retroville is!"

Sheen and Carl nodded solemnly, inwardly, however, already dying for excitement.

"I'm FED UP guys!" Libby emphasized one last time. "So that's why _**we**_'re finally gonna play now."

Slightly intimidated, Cindy eyed her warily.

"What are we gonna play…?" her voice sounded careful.

Libby gave them a small, smug smile, pulling a certain something out of her pocket.

She thoroughly enjoyed the shock that began to spread on Cindy's and Jimmy's faces and pointed the little remote control right at their eyes.

"You."

* * *

"No…fast…movements…" Jimmy spoke supposedly calmly...yet his voice did some hysteric jitters.

He and Cindy were simultaneously stepping back from the thing that was pointed at their faces. Both of them were perfectly aware of its purpose…Jimmy by inventing it in the first place, Cindy by hearing him brag about it for two minutes.

Neither was very amused.

With a swift movement, Libby shoved the gadget back into her pocket. Smiling she told them:

"You don't need to get all worked up, guys. I've already saved your identity in here. There ain't anything you can do about that."

"HA!" Sheen yelled out and high-fived Carl, who echoed his friend's outcry of triumph.

"And now you're gonna do the chicken dance!"

"WHAT?!" Jimmy and Cindy cried simultaneously out.

Libby turned around and scowled at her boyfriend.

"No, Sheen they're NOT gonna do the chicken dance."

"Aw man! " The Mexican boy muttered grumpily under his breath.

"Instead…" she continued and her smile widened. "We're gonna sort out those issues of you two. And I mean, there's some serious work to do. Honestly."

"And then you're gonna do the chicken dance."

Everyone looked unnerved at Sheen.

"Well…_after_ the whole sorting-problems-out thingy…" he muttered sheepishly, but shut eventually up as he met Libby's dark gaze.

She was his lady, he had to obey. Or so experience had showed it. He winced slightly at the thought.

Taking the opportunity, an irritated Cindy spoke up, putting her hands on her hips and scowling at everyone in reach. Even at the squirrels, that seemed to watch their encounter. She was ticked off like that.

"What kinda problems do you mean?!" she flicked her hair once more over her shoulder, almost hitting Jimmy in the face with her ponytail. Unintentionally, of course.

"Yeah!" he chimed in after he had escaped the whip that was her 'hair', having gotten over Sheen's 'chicken dance' obsession. As odd as it felt to agree with his nemesis, he just had to admit that his friends were quite confusing at the moment.

Plus they had stolen his 'ultimate successes.

Forced him to walk through the town like a complete idiot.

And now they were threatening him with his invention. (With a smile on their faces!)

Some friends _they_ were.

Sheen and Carl glanced uncertain at Libby, hoping for her to reply. They rather did not want to be the ones breaking the 'news' to their friends, for who knew what they would be able to do to them…even under the influence of mind control.

Libby was the most reasonable one anyways. She surely did know the right words to get them 'see the light' without starting a mass assault afterwards, the two boys told themselves. Yes, Libby would set everything right.

She just _would_.

But suddenly, expressing that incredibly unnerving relationship in front of them, was not as easy as they all had thought.

Searching for the right way to FINALLY tell them, Libby awkwardly opened and closed her mouth.

'Get a grip of yourself, girl!' she told herself.

She had watched this charade since primary school, just as everyone had.

Never had she interfered, nor done anything more than mere suggestive comments towards Cindy. It had not been her business, after all. It still was not, actually.

But a girl could only take so much obliviousness and stupidity.

Something had snapped inside of her. Permanently.

Libby knew now, that was ready to knock the truth into them.

Directly. Brutally. Ruthlessly.

She was absolutely ready. Time to end all those headaches she got every time she got near them.

That was it.

The moment of truth.

_But how to start?_

"Well…you see…" she began uncertainly only to receive to similar exasperated looks. Immediately her self esteem fell a few inches. "Errr…"

Perhaps she had not been as ready as she had thought?

"It's just…" Sheen tried to help her, but cut himself off though. What the hell was he doing? Trying to defy nature? Or even worse – trying to purposely upset Cindy?! Ultra Lord only knew! "Hmmm…that's kinda funny to say, but…"

"You know, you two…and…problems and…err…well…DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!" Carl cried out and ruffled frustrated through his hair.

He could not stand all that pressure he was put through!

Jimmy and Cindy just stared awkwardly at them. Unsure, whether their friends had gone mental or simply wanted to waste their time the most efficient way. They were without doubt the two smartest people in this town, sure, but nobody could expect them to decipher that cryptic syllables!

If there was any hidden sense to be deciphered at all, that was.

For a moment, everything was silent. Discretely, as to cover up their uneasiness, Sheen and Carl pretended to play with the squirrels, although they got bitten in the end.

Several times.

Cindy looked intently at her best friend, urging her to explain herself already. She could not care less, whether the two idiots got eaten up by that crazy bunch of squirrels, but the sight, she imagined, would be rather unhygienic.

She wanted to get away from there, before that happened.

"Okay, listen up…" Libby finally told them with a firm voice and pointed at them. It was her right to tell them off, definitely. After all these years of lying back and watching this mess…!

Sternly, she looked them in the eyes and began:

"The thing is: Nobody in this town can take all this love-hate crap you two share anymore! Seriously guys! We've been watching it since the very beginning, all the fights, all the competition and heck even all the flirts! And if there's one thing I can tell you than certainly that it's _way_ exhausting. I won't stand for it anymore, guys. Neither won't dork and dorkier over there. "Emphasizing her point, she rolled her eyes. "So in order to save you and us the trouble, can you just make up and kiss or do we have to bring out the big weapons?"

Two jaws dropped simultaneously to the ground.

Only the squeaking sounds of the squirrels broke the complete silence that had immediately developed, as they were busy to tear out Carl's hair. But nobody paid the little introducers any attention, not even Carl himself who was bound to come out bald of this assault.

Everyone waited for a reaction from the two. A word, a gesture, an eye twitch.

But it did not seem as if there was going to be _any_ of that.

The world could as well have stopped spinning, Miss Fowl could have danced around in pink underwear and Nick Dean could have been making out with Flippy 2, Jimmy and Cindy could not have cared less.

If Sheen had forced them to watch a twenty-hour Ultra Lord marathon right now, they would not have complained the slightest.

If Carl had begged them to caress his imaginary llama herd, they would have said: 'So be it.'

If Bolbi had invited them to slap clap dance with him, well they would have thrown the confetti.

Because Cindy Vortex and Jimmy Neutron were officially shell-shocked. Without any doubt, deeply, creepily, totally…

_**S h o c k e d. **_

As in the-apocalypse-is-near shocked. Or that my-best-friends-have-gone-insane-and-I-don't-even-notice-anymore-that-they're-getting-eaten-up-by-bloodthirsty-squirrels-right–now kind of shocked.

_(_**_shock_****_ 1_**_ (sh__k):__ Something that jars the mind or emotions as if with a violent unexpected blow.)_

What had this world come to?

"Erm…Cindy…Jimmy…? You guys there?" Carl asked nervously and glanced down to the ground. All this silence was giving him the creeps…besides he was not used to seeing the two teenagers that speechless.

'Now we've done it.' He thought warily and clung to his chest. Eyeing them fearfully, he could already feel his circulation running wild. Oh, who knew how this was going to affect his healthy? The first thing he had to do was to make an appointment with the doctor, once he got home and then…

Suddenly it occurred to him that Jimmy and Cindy finally had shown a reaction. But no matter what he had imagined before, he certainly had not expected them to react the way they did.

In the middle of the park, beneath the shadows of empty trees, they stood laughing so hard, that their sides ached and their breath flat went.

Almost too hard.

The loud echo of their excessive laughter resounded creepily in their friends' ears, giving them a very odd feeling about what they had just unleashed.

"Now that…"Sheen awkwardly concluded and turned to his bewildered partners in crime. "…that went better than I would have thought…I guess."

Libby and Carl nodded slowly.

* * *

"_Love_- hate?! Are you freaking kidding me?!" Cindy gasped after five minutes of straight laughter. Shaking her head, she pointed at Jimmy at her side as though he was an exceedingly disgusting insect.

"Have you been on too much sugar today? You really think I'm supposed to like that _thing_ over there?!"

Provoked by the contempt dripping from her voice Jimmy's laughter faded immediately and made way for a very disgruntled frown. She just never ceased to ruin his mood, no matter what he had done beforehand! He would actually admire her for that 'outstanding' talent, were it not for the tiny little fact that he _hated her guts_.

"Excuse me? If anything deserves to be called insane, it has _got_ to be the idea that _**I**_ could ever like a bossy, selfish, snooty hag like _**you**_! "he snapped back at her.

Cindy made an indignant sound and poked with her index finger into his chest. Both were ignoring their three friends again, as they did so often in situations like these.

"Better being a snooty hag than a megalomaniac cretin with an oversized head!"

"You might want to compare our IQ scores before you continue to call me a cretin, Miss Vortex! Oh, but wait! That'd be a thing people with reason would do, that's nothing for someone as insolent and ridiculous like you!"

"Oh and I guess nearly blowing up the entire town, counts as an action of reason for you, right Neutron?"

"You wouldn't even know how to do that, no matter how hard you'd try to!"

"Oh, think you can make me jealous with something as idiotic as that, Spewtron? Why the heck would I even want to do that? Your comebacks are pathetic!"

"Not as pathetic as you are!"

"Ha! And I repeat: P A T H E T I C! C'mon Nerdtron, read my lips!"

Libby sighed deeply at this sight. Secretly she had to agree with Cindy to a certain point though: it was indeed pathetic. The entire situation they were in was!

"Seems as though we _do_ have to play with the big guns…" she muttered resigned and clasped her hand more tightly around Jimmy's newest invention.

Getting reassurance, she threw a quick glance at Sheen and Carl, who were torn between exasperation, excitement and the urge to cheer for Jimmy and sealed yet another silent agreement with them.

"It didn't have to get this far, guys…" she muttered while recalling everything Jimmy had explained about the gadget in the Candy Bar. "But I can't say that it won't be fun either."

Her fingers stroke the touchpad of the invention.

"Alright you two!" she yelled loudly, getting their attention only for a few seconds before they went back to harassing each other. "Now that you've so graphically demonstrated the 'hate', let's come to the love-part of your relationship."

Carl and Sheen chuckled evilly as they caught on the faint look of horror that passed over their friends' faces for a split second.

"What-"Cindy began, but closed her mouth immediately again –from the look on her face not voluntarily. With a frown, she tried to reopen it, not finding herself able to do so. The red shade on her cheeks deepened noticeably.

Leave it to Nerdtron to invent a mind control that did not even need to be regulated by verbal speech, but by thoughts! They were practically extradited to their friends' insane ideas! The realization made her sick.

"Look…" Jimmy spoke up and raised his hands in defeat. "…I don't know which I kind of illness you guys suffer from, but this person-"he gestured to Cindy, who groaned disgruntedly. "- is insufferable, obnoxious, bad-tempered and ---_Her eyes are so beautiful. Like two sparkling emeralds_."

Pure horror washed over the genius' face as he heard the words that came out of his very own mouth. Immediately, he slapped a hand over his mouth while turning bright red, but unfortunately the harm was already done. Wide-eyed he stared at his friends.

_Those cruel, cruel creatures!_

The girl his **involuntary** words had been directed at was not doing any better. In the matter of a second her face had turned to a now very unhealthy red shade and even her death glare had changed to a quite interesting expression of shock.

This was _definitely_ not her day! She made a mental note never to complain about Libby's ringtone choice habits **ever** again.

Dying with embarrassment, the two poor rivals watched Sheen and Carl erupt into loud laughter. If they just could have, they wished the ground would just swallow them right there and then. But, as so often, fate seemed to like pulling a prank on them…

…and earth just did not do them the favor.

Libby, who of course had caused Jimmy's sudden 'change of mind', told halfheartedly her companions to stop, but she enjoyed herself too much as to be serious about it. The look on their faces was just too priceless! She had no idea how to get alive out of the aftermath that certainly would take place, but she blended that out for the present time.

When the laughter finally subdued, Jimmy pointed threateningly at Libby.

"You-"he gasped outraged. "-Just_**-don't**_-do-that….again!"

His two best friends began to laugh harder than before.

"Have you HEARD that, Carl?!" Sheen screeched loudly, nudging his friend in the side. As he wiped his eyes, he looked amused at poor Jimmy. _"'Like sparkling emeralds'_! Dude, you sounded like a girl!"

Great. This was coming from a guy whose greatest hero wore girlish purple.

Way to go.

"It's not as if I meant to!" Jimmy cried indignantly out and stomped his right food. "She--- _is just too gorgeous as not to notice…__**"**_

Libby laughed sprightly into the genius' face. "What was that Jimmy? Guys, I think someone's got to confess a big time!"

"WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP THAT?!" Jimmy yelled frustrated out and was about to storm towards her. The girl however, only raised dismissively her left eyebrow. Instantly, the genius stood still on his spot, scowling deeply at her but unable to move away.

"Chill Jimmy, we're not done yet." She casually told him and smiled widely.

Her two partners in crime sneered loudly and continued to ridicule everything, ecstatic that their plan was starting to get better and better.

Suddenly, though, a voice spoke up – sounding somewhat strained.

"_You really think I'm…"_ Cindy's face was clouded over with deepest anger, contrasting blatantly with the sweet hopefulness of her voice. The guys swore that they heard her teeth gnash as she spoke the next word.

"…_gorgeous?"_

As soon as she had managed to get the terrible question out of her mouth, her head snapped sharply around and she glared daggers into her supposedly best friend. Unfortunately, that was all she could do, since Libby already had taken care of her ability to walk. (Smart move.)

"I'll kill you Libby."

Said one, just cocked an eyebrow at her friend's stern tone of voice, obviously amused. This was more fun than she had originally had thought…time to get into the real action.

Before the two 'tortured' kids could express any protest, they turned around to face each other – standing a bit too close to each other for their liking.

Sheen and Carl just giggled excitedly, finally sincerely congratulating the genius' for his invention.

Looking as though he was ready to commit a murder, Jimmy opened his mouth:

"_Well…yes, I guess…no I…urgh! What I actually meant is that…you know…" _he rubbed the back of his neck, although this movement did not look as smooth as it normally should have. "_It's just that-_Okay, why am I stuttering like a blithering idiot?!"He suddenly blurted out, interrupting his very 'productive' speech of before.

Libby threw him a short, unnerved look. This guy seriously had not watched a single romantic movie in his life, had he?

"_It's okay…" _Cindy instantly 'reassured' him. _"I think it's kinda cute, actually…_-EXCUSE ME?!" She violently managed to jerk her head around as to stare disbelievingly at Libby. "You did NOT just make me call _him_ 'cute', did you?!"

"_Cindy-",_ Jimmy's voice sounded, before Libby would have actually had to reply. _"–there's_ _something I wanted to ask you…but…I'm not sure…well…"_

The girl leaned 'curiously' forwards, eyes sparkling with anger.

"_Yes?" _she inquired with a 'smile'. "_Just go ahead Jimmy…_Or rather **not**." Scoffing, she put a hand on her hip.

He grimaced at her. "Believe me I'd rather-_ask you right away. Would you like to go to the Candy Bar with me? You know…as a date?!" _His eyeballs nearly popped out of his head. "WHAT? Me going out with her?! **Are you kidding me?!"**

Meanwhile Cindy's facial expression was torn between blind anger and deep embarrassment.

"_I'd love to, Jimmy…"_ her left eye began to twitch. "_Which time do you have in mind?_ May I offer NEVER?_"_ she added loudly, mirroring Jimmy's disgusted expression.

"_Why not now? It's a beautiful day for a date, don't you think? Of course not as beautiful as y—"_

"Oh come ON, Libby!" Sheen suddenly interrupted, saving Jimmy from the shame of another incredibly corny compliment. "Only the guys in those weepy-weepy-kiss movies say stuff like that! What about they just do the chicken dance together now?"

Libby scowled angrily at her boyfriend.

"Would please cut that 'chicken dance' crap out? I'm trying to hook these two up here right now!"

"But we don't want to-"Jimmy and Cindy both started; however had to find that nobody paid them any attention.

Disgruntedly they closed their mouths again. In perfect synchrony.

"I thought Libby did a marvelous start, Sheen…" Carl stated nervously, not wishing to upset the one with the mind controller in the hand. He did not know a lot, but the past few years with Jimmy had taught him who to provoke and who to rather not do so.

"Yeah, because you're just worse than any girl!" Sheen screeched and crossed defensively his arms. "People don't want to see this corny lovey-dovey stuff, they want to see chickens! CHICKENS!"

"Oh yeah?" Libby retorted sharply. "And care to explain how the chicken dance is going to get them admitting their feelings?"

Amazingly enough Sheen found a retort to that.

Somehow awkwardly, the two teenagers the whole fuss was about watched the scenery that unfolded in front of them. Sadly, they still were not able to move and the close position they found themselves in was way more concerning, when they just stood there, without all these words their friends put into their mouths, although they could not quite put their finger on why exactly that was.

Perhaps it was just the knowledge of being so close together…which on the other hand would not make much sense though.

Tired of this ridiculous scene, Jimmy cleared somewhat oddly his throat and asked his arch enemy supposedly casually:

"So…erm…how are we gonna kill them?"

Cindy's scowl did not leave her face, but there was a tinge of pink on her cheeks, that did not seem to descend from her anger.

"Painfully." she instantly stated and looked away.

A short silence developed between them, neither saying a word. Taking another look at their friends, who were still arguing over the best way to get him together with a person he _hated_, Jimmy made another attempt at a conversation.

"Can you believe they'd come up with something like that? I mean…the thought itself is ridiculous! You…and…and _me_…" he trailed off, shaking his head.

Cindy looked uncertainly up at him and opened her mouth to speak:

"_Actually I think it's a wonderful idea. "_she said gently.

The genius' eyes widened in shock on hearing her words. However, as he saw the violent expression her face had suddenly formed again, it occurred to him, that she had already been speaking under control once more. She looked ready to tear someone apart for having made her say that.

He was not quite sure, why he suddenly felt that certain little sting of disappointment.

* * *

"**No**."Cindy cried out immediately as her eyes caught side of the giant sign.

Satisfied with herself, Libby smiled smugly at her. "You _have_ to."

Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "No. Freaking. Way." Violently, she shook her head from side to side. "You can't possibly do that!"

"I hate to say this…" Jimmy spoke up, equally stressed. "…but I have to agree with Vortex. Forget it! Not in a million years I am going to…"

"Hey!" Libby interrupted him. "We can either do this _my_ way, or I could give the power to control you two to Sheen during your 'date'. Which do you prefer?" She tilted her head to the right and challenged them with her gaze.

"Is there an option where we blow the whole thing off and I can finally start to punch you all into oblivion?!" Cindy asked angrily.

Sheen, Carl and Libby exchanged an amused look, before turning back to her.

"Nope." They simultaneously exclaimed and high-fived.

Cindy was sure she never had seen a sight more despicable than this.

"Now, in there you go!" Libby commanded and gave them a little push in the backs. Pleadingly, Jimmy begged her:

"C'mon, you can't so this to me. People are going to _see_ us! They're going to….going to…" his voice cracked at the thought of the soon-to-come embarrassment. "We can't be seen like that! I mean…she's…she's…_her_!" he pointed at her and made a disgusted face.

"Thanks for putting it that way, Spewtron!" Cindy spat, venom dripping from her voice. But before, Jimmy was given any chance to stand up for it; he forcedly grabbed her hand and made a step forward.

Both looked ready to kill.

"_Let's go in there now, shall we?"_ he 'asked' her and pushed the door of the Candy Bar open.

Greatly disgusted with herself, Cindy let a small girlish giggle and followed him entering the lion's den.

"What was that for?!" she bellowed unnerved nonetheless. "What he said wasn't even fun---_ I love this place."_

"_I know, that's why I chose it…_Give me my invention back and RUN!" Jimmy exclaimed outraged, yet guided his 'date' with a 'smile' towards one of the tables.

As if he had any choice.

Pleased with themselves, Libby, Carl and Sheen followed them and sat down at a nearby table, close enough to listen to their friends' coming 'conversations', but all the same far enough as to not be seen with them.

"_So, what would you like to order?" _Jimmy asked while sitting down and scoffed. "Yeah like I care!"

Cindy glared at him. "Don't worry I didn't expect you to---_Well…I haven't decided yet."_ Rolling her eyes, she turned on her seat and looked straight at her friends, who pretended not to notice them.

"Oh but I have! What about your heads served on a silver pl---_Jimmy? You haven't quite told me yet, why you asked me out of the blue…it's somehow quite unexpected…"_

Of course, she giggled again…with a horrendous grimace.

They both groaned immediately, foreseeing his reply.

On their way to the Candy Bar, their friends had tortured them with 'goodies' like 'the way her hair gleamed in the sun', 'his ocean blue eyes that seemed to be as deep as the sea', 'her brilliant mind he never ceased to admire despite all his efforts to hide that fact', as well as 'his cute boyish naivety that immediately stood out to her from the very beginning'.

They even had been forced to stop by a flower shop, where Jimmy had to buy a lily for her as 'she deserved such a beautiful flower that fit her so perfectly'!

The two of them could not even count the times they had wanted to throw up this day anymore.

…and their torture had only started half an hour ago.

"_Well…I guess I've always kind of…you know…" _Jimmy 'sheepishly' began and rubbed once more the back of his neck. 'Hated you.' He mouthed to her, hoping his friends would not catch up on it.

'Mutual feeling' she mouthed back, before leaning closer in and inquiring:

"_Yes Jimmy?" _she cringed at the pathetically sweet tone of her voice.

Talking like this to her declared rival was just so wrong on way too many levels!

It just _was_.

"HEY! What are you Hooligans doing here again?! Yeah!" Sam's rude voice suddenly interrupted their talking. With a wipe in his hand, he rushed towards them and stood intimidating in front of them.

Apparently he still was quite upset about the chaos they had caused a three-fourths hour ago…

Cindy thought back at the mess and had to admit, if she was in his place, she too would be.

"We were just…" she began, but Jimmy overtook the job of saving their necks- although his words were not quite his own.

"_We're not here to cause any more trouble, Sam…"_ he or rather Libby assured the upset establishment owner. "_And before you kick us out, think about my offer: in order to make up for the dismay, I shall order the most giant sundae you can get us! You think we can get a deal?"_

Sam's eyes began to sparkle, although his expression remained the same.

"Alright then…" he reluctantly muttered. "…but I'll watch you crazy kids, yeah!"

With that said, he wandered off again, sparing them one last disgruntled look.

"_Wow Jimmy…"_ Cindy cheered while rolling her eyes. "_I didn't know you were so good in dealing with people!"_

"_Yeah well, there's a lot you don't know about me." _Jimmy replied cockily, slamming his head onto the desk. The pain was a nice distraction from his 'misery'. He would shoot them to the moon, where they had to spend the rest of their lives with Brobot and his family, oh yes he would!

"_But you could find out…"_

How _very_ suggestive…

And, of course Cindy giggled again.

While thinking of the most cruel way to murder three annoying pests of best friends.

* * *

"Neutron? Cindy?! Is that really you?"

Two heads shot up in the air, looking panicky around to make out the owner of the voice that had just spoken. Their spoons fell to the ground with a loud, shattering sound.

"Nick?!" Cindy cried out, two octaves higher than usual.

"What are you doing here?" Jimmy asked equally hysteric, glancing over his classmate's shoulder. As he had dreaded, half of the class was following the supposedly coolest guy around.

'Figures!' he cursed silently.

His pulse accelerated immediately. He felt so sick, he just wanted to run away from this place and hide from civilization until he had become a blabbering old person nobody paid attention to, like his grandmother was.

Life as he knew it was just about to end.

His mother would get his chemicals and his experiments.

His father would take care of Goddard.

His friends would burn in hell.

Hear the last will of Jimmy Neutron!

Not even the memory of Nick's letter to the Easter bunny was able to restrict him from hyperventilating now.

And he had been through a lot already this day.

They had been sitting there for almost an hour, suffering great _emotional_ pain to put the torment their friends put them through lightly, eating a stupid giant sundae that would have intimidated Carl himself! He had been forced to admire _every_ freaking thing about his arch rival and likewise had Cindy. Even qualities he had never even imagined she could possibly possess! Every time he opened his mouth he felt like a total sap, ready to cut off his own tongue.

And on top of all that, they had ordered a flavor he did not like the least.

Fate was cruel.

Heck, he was being on a _date_ with _**Cindy Vortex**_ for a freaking **hour**! With his friends controlling his every move, whether it was bringing the spoon to his mouth or smiling like a lovesick puppy at a girl he _hated_.

If that was not mental, he did not know what it was.

But if he had thought his life had already been _BAD_, he obviously had been very much mistaken.

Life obviously hated him.

Nick stared awkwardly at them, as though they were a pair of aliens, trying to understand what he was seeing right in front of his very eyes. Of all the strange things he had witnessed throughout the years, he bet his entire hair products collection that this was definitely the strangest.

"Are you guys doing what I think you're doing?" he asked them and ruffled bewildered his extra smooth hair.

The kids at his back eyed them anticipating, confused beyond reason to find these two sitting like this together, without their friends. With only _one_ sundae.

And _two_ spoons.

Horrified, Jimmy chuckled nervously and tried to come up with a solution for this catastrophe. Preferably, before his friends got the chance to interfere.

"Uhm…" he gulped. "What do you think we're doing, Nick?"

He flinched as he felt Cindy kicking his shin under the table. She shook barely noticeable her head at him and glared.

Jimmy swallowed hard. Obviously he had messed up.

Nick's right eyebrow lifted up.

"Well if it weren't for the fact that it's _you_ two sitting here…" he shook disbelieving his head. "I'd almost say you're…._dating_?" his own voice cracked at the last word as he was too overwhelmed by this possibility.

Cindy closed embarrassed her eyes, hoping this horrible moment would pass quickly. Unfortunately, she was attached to her seat; otherwise she would have instantly walked over to her three friends and poured the entire sundae over their heads.

Jimmy, she noticed, of course had no idea how to handle the situation…he never had been that good when it came to social interaction, she knew that just too well.

'Think quick, think quick….' She urged herself, desperately hoping for a brilliant thought to strike her.

There was no way she would let them ruin her reputation like this.

_No way in hell._

"Actually…"

Her eyes met the Jimmy's for a second, as she wanted to silently assure the terrified boy that she was going to set things _right_. His appalled expression did not make it any easier for her to come up with something so convincing it would erase all doubts from the crowd's mind and she was already stressed enough by her own fears.

There had to be an excuse…

A possibility…

The possibility to switch back to normal – as far as anyone _knew_.

But then, from one moment to another, it hit her … this dreadful feeling of losing every control over one's actions. Like a thunderbolt, she experienced it. Being speaking without any thought.

"_We are."_

The entire restaurant fell silent.

A dozen pair of eyes widened.

"_Yes…"_ said Jimmy with a resigned expression on his face. Slowly he reached over the table and grabbed her hand, giving it a light squeeze.

"_We're in love."_

And then it crashed all down… Their reputations, their pride, their worlds.

All shattered by this one forced confession.

_God_, they hated life.

"So…" the genius leaned back into his chair, casually addressing the gaping crowd. "Did you know the one and only Nick Dean wrote the Easter Bunny a very touching letter?"

* * *

"I can't believe you would do this to us! I just CAN'T!" Cindy screamed at their friends and threw her hands in the air. "How _could_ you! How could you be so _**sick**_?!" her voice shattered violently the peaceful silence of the park.

Libby cringed under her friend's infuriated gaze. She had not seen her girl that angry before in their entire time as best friends, not once throughout all this times and adventures. Cindy's eyes were literally on fire. There was fury, there was anger, frustration, loathing, but most painfully of it all, there was deep, deep disappointment, all present in one single look.

Maybe their little joke had gone a little too far, she weakly noted in her mind.

Jimmy at Cindy's side, just mirrored the expression, although he had not spoken a word yet, since they had left the Candy Bar. Who knew which painful plans of revenge he was already cooking?

She better did not know.

But she really could not blame him.

The entire crowd at the Candy Bar had been stunned beyond belief. Some jaws had dropped, some eyes had twitched. But most importantly, none of them would forget the incredible scene that quickly. Of course, word would get around the entire town soon and then people would start to whisper, would gossip and laugh, would ridicule their friends again and again.

Nobody could foresee the amount of abuse they would get.

And now they blamed _her_ for it.

"We just wanted to help you guys…" she tried to justify her actions, but was immediately shot down by Cindy's contemptuous scoff.

"_Help_ us? HELP us?! Do we look like we _needed_ your help, now do we? Did it ever occur to you that we didn't want your help _from the very beginning_?! Just _**once**_?!!!"

She somehow _did_ feel ashamed of what she had done to them...they both held an insufferable pride, but she knew that they could not take it very well to have this pride bruised so badly. They had any right to be furious.

But something about her best friend's words bothered her…

…she could not quite put her finger on it, but it was there.

And then it snapped and she realized it all.

The entire truth.

And she knew exactly what she had to do.

"Sorry guys…" she said calmly, yet firmly.

Despite the simultaneous gasps of the boys, and the furious outcries of Jimmy and Cindy that assured a painful revenge, she pulled the gadget out of her pocket and pointed it directly at their faces, like she had done earlier this day.

"…but my job isn't entirely done, yet."

Sheen stepped forward and laid one hand on her shoulder.

"Please tell me you want them to do the chicken dance and nothing else now, my queen!" he fearfully asked her, trying to save her from making a big mistake.

She smiled faintly at him.

"No, I am sorry. No chicken dances for today…or for anytime for that matters. I intend something entirely different." She cleared her throat, fully foreseeing the reaction her next words would cause. "We might have gotten them to 'admit' their feelings…but the treaty ain't _sealed_ yet."

"You wouldn't dare…" Jimmy gasped stunned, looking her directly into the eyes.

Libby smiled weakly at him.

'_Closer.' _

Gasps escaped their lips, when their feet dragged them slowly towards each other.

'_Closer.'_

Two leaps separated them. Two tiny leaps. It took so little to finish this farce for good.

The gadget began to slip through Libby's fingers, but she did not care.

'_Closer.'_

Their faces were merely inches away and they were just too well aware of it.

Undeniable heat crept up their arms, their necks, their faces, dangerous yet so desirable.

It scared them.

Libby closed her eyes.

'_Too close.'_

Sheen and Carl held their breaths not even realizing that they were hugging each other in anticipation. A lonely squirrel jumped on Carl's head.

Their eyes were furious, fiery, in flames as their faces drew nearer.

But beneath that all there was this certain spark…this certain spark Libby's entire action depended on.

It was subtle, but it was there. That was all it took.

And then their lips crashed into each other.

* * *

Sheen's and Carl's jaws nearly hit the ground, when they watched their friends forcefully kissing each other. Boundlessly, freely, desiring, just like that. The sight they had always thought to be impossible, although they had been very well aware of their feelings for a few years now. It was happening right there, right in front of them.

Cindy's arms went around his neck, whereas Jimmy's hands cradled her waist, both pulling the other one closer to each other. In this moment, he could not care less, that she had 'golden silky hair that enticed him to run his fingers through it' or 'those amazing sparkling emerald eyes ' Libby had him made gush about. And she did not give it a damn how 'insanely cute' she his nervousness apparently found or how his 'brilliancy' supposedly made her 'swoon' (which it really did not).

Because for all they knew, it was Cindy Vortex kissing Jimmy Neutron. Not two saps from any soap opera, with compliments so elaborative and meaningless like a cheap romance movie. Just they themselves…

…_hating_ each other.

…_competing_ with one another.

…_fighting_.

And yet falling for it all the same.

Because that was just the way they were.

A loud crash shattered forcefully the heated silence and made the colorful bubble burst. The invention that had caused all this mess flew into a thousand pieces, sparks flying into all directions.

Their lips immediately broke apart.

Reality set in again…or whatever it was called, they did not know it for sure anymore.

Cindy's voice was as poisonous as the purest venom.

"_Run__**."**_

Libby, Carl and Sheen did not need to be told twice.

* * *

"You think…" he panted and leaned against a hydrant. "You think we got rid of them?"

Libby, equally out of breath, swallowed hard as she tried to calm down her accelerated pulse.

"I don't know. I haven't seen them…anywhere…I hope we have…_oh my god_…" she moaned exhaustedly and held her sides. Disgustingly unattractive sweat ran down her face, but she was too depleted as to make any efforts of wiping it away.

Who would have thought Jimmy and Cindy had _such_ a good condition? After being chased for almost twenty five minutes through the entire town, she had almost lost all hope to escape them. Especially since Carl had been falling flatly on his face already after a total of five minutes of straight running. It seemed like a miracle to her, that Sheen and her had managed to rescue him, before their 'slightly' angry friends had been able to grasp him.

"But we can't escape them!" Carl whined terrified and sniffed into a used tissue he pulled out of his pocket. "Jimmy's a genius, he will find us sooner or later, he always does…and Cindy, Cindy is a…a…" his voice cracked. "She's a…"

Hysterically he grabbed Libby's shoulders and shook her violently. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE YET!!!"

"Tell me again why we did that!" Sheen interfered before Libby had a chance to break free from Carl's grip. "All we achieved was getting Jimmy and Cindy humiliated a big time and now they're thirsty for our blood!" He shook frantically his head. "I 'd like my blood to stay where it is right now! Oh Ultra Lord, save me!"

Instead of a supernatural force coming to rescue him, he only met a dirty paper that fluttered against his face.

"I already told you…" Libby gasped and pushed the hyperventilating Carl away. "We wanted to show them, how much they'd like it to actually get along with each other…and we weren't that unsuccessfully, now were we?"

The boys looked at her as though she had lost her mind.

"Are you kidding me?!" Sheen screeched and pointed disbelieving at her. However, as his face was currently covered, his accusing gesture adressed nothing but the empty side road they had managed to hide in. "They want to eat us alive right now! What kind of success is that?"

Libby rolled her eyes. "Didn't you listen to what I said back when…?"

"You've been _**serious**_?!" Carl almost screamed out and covered his face with his hands, unable to conduct that amount of information. "You really hadn't…"

"Anything to do with the scene at the Candy Bar?" Libby offered with a smug smile on her face. "Nope, not the slightest. I didn't even realize Nick and his fans were there before it was already too late."

Carl stared dumbstruck at her. The tissue floated gently to the ground.

"But…they _do_ think it's your fault…" he pointed helplessly out, trying to understand the sheer impossible statement she had just made.

Her smile just widened. "Just as they do think that little kiss was _my_ doing…"

"WHAT?!" the pudgy boy's eyes nearly bulged out.

"I had the gadget's power switched off right before." Libby cheekily admitted. "They just needed to _think_ that they were under mind control…the rest they did themselves."

"You…You…" Carl stuttered, and then shook his head as to clear his thoughts.

"You're a pure, evil genius, Libby…"

She giggled, flattered by his words. "So I've heard."

"But still…" he added after a few seconds of further pondering. "…they'll still be in denial won't they? Maybe they're never gonna get over it now!"

Libby shook smiling her head. "Believe me; I think I learned something today. I guess they really don't need our help at all. If they're meant to be, they'll work it out on their own…on their own way. It just may take a little longer…"

Her words lingered meaningfully in the air, and even though Carl had still no clue whether they had helped or disturbed their friends, he nodded solemnly at her.

On catching his unsincere look of understanding, she frowned slightly.

"Oh just let's get away from here now, before I sound like a total sap! Get going, guys!."

Taking one last long breath, the three of them continued their way. As good as it had felt to take this little break, neither of them wanted to risk Jimmy and Cindy finding them – and even worse finding out the truth much too early.

They had jogged for a few minutes, when Sheen, who had been strangely quiet until now, spoke suddenly up, awe in his voice audible.

"Wait a second…" he said slowly. "Does that mean when Jimmy and Cindy _thought_ they were just _thinking_ to mack on each other….they were _in fact_ macking on each other?" He blinked bewildered at them, asking for reassurance. "Right?"

Libby rolled gently her eyes at her boyfriend for taking so long to grasp the meaning of her words.

"Yeah…actually that's just it."

Sheen stared awestruck at her, then at Carl.

"Dude…that's just _**sick**_!"

* * *

Somewhere in Retroville, a certain blonde female was finally kissing the guy she always had thought to be unattainable for her. Her heart beat wildly, her cheeks blushed brightly, her mind was floating…she was basking in her bliss, knowing that nobody, nobody in this entire world could take that feeling away from her heart. That special feeling only _he_ could give her.

And as she gave in to his soft lips, she knew that there was nothing better than this intoxicating taste. Her heart had found its home after all those years. She realized that…

"EWW, GET A ROOM WOULD YOU?!" Cindy Vortex yelled grossed out over the street, interrupting the ever so _magical_ moment.

Instantly, Nick and Britney broke apart from each other, red faced and deeply embarrassed. They stared stunned at the intruders for a short moment, let a small chuckle, and then quickly sauntered away, not willing to give a statement about their more or less public making out session. They were lucky enough, that Jimmy and Cindy had to worry about much more important business than their private life, for they got away with it discretely this time.

"Not cool…not cool at all…" the two heard Nick mutter under his breath, as he walked away.

Jimmy smirked at the boy's back. He could imagine that Nick was not having exactly the best day either…first his secret letter had been exposed to the world, and then his 'quality' time with Britney had been interrupted.

Unlucky happenings.

He would almost feel sorry for the guy…if it was not for the fact, that there was _no_ one in this town who deserved pity more than he himself did!

"Look at them…" Cindy spat out with disgust. "Like two hormonal love-sick puppies…" She shuddered.

"I'll _kill_ them."

Jimmy immediately knew she was not talking about Nick and Britney anymore. Call it…natural 'intuition'.

"So will I, believe me. If I just think of how they wanted _us_ to act just the same like…_this_…" he trailed off, feeling a faint blush creeping up his cheeks, but made sure to wrinkle his nose in as much disgust as he could muster.

Just…for safety reasons.

Reminded of the 'incident' and the awkwardness between them, Cindy scooted 'subtly' a few inches away from him, glancing somewhat nervously at her feet.

"I will kill them." She repeated again, much quieter this time.

Jimmy nodded stiffly. For a few minutes none of them said a word. They had lost track of their friends a long time ago, somewhere between their school and McSpanky's…and the sudden lack of any company or task, made them feel a tad too uncomfortable.

Especially with those nasty memories of earlier in the back of their mind.

"You know that this all your fault, Neutron?" Cindy finally stated, finding her voice again.

He groaned, rolling his eyes. "Figures. Blame me Vortex, why don't you? Never mind that it was our maniac _friends_ who messed with my _perfectly safe_ invention!"

She smirked haughtily at him. "Well, what did you expect? I hate you."

Oddly enough, he had to smile on hearing those words that would have made him scowl under any normal circumstance. Why that was, he was not completely sure, but thinking over all of today's events and the peculiar tone of her voice, he just could not help it.

Maybe, just maybe he had realized something.

It was at least a possibility.

"I know." He therefore casually replied. "But that's okay. Because honestly…" Smirking smugly he grabbed her hand and began to walk away from the road.

"…I hate you too."

* * *

_A/N: Well this turned out a bit longer than I intended it to be…I'm quite insecure about it though. As I'm about my writing in general. But oh well, I hope it was enjoyable though. I'm aware it may seem odd for the laid-back Libby to take the initiative like that, but I guess she just really snapped this time. And we all know how she gets when she tastes the power (Dictator Libby, LSTN anyone? :) ) Plus they're older, so I hope we're good. Please share your thoughts about this one with me, I aim at improving my skills after all ^^._

_Love, firepearl!_


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